Who was Richard Morris Hunt? | Designing the USA

[@p.mckenzie2921]

If you really like Richard Morris hunt designs. I would encourage everybody to go see the breakers and marble house. When you walk in marble house it takes your breath away it is just beautiful. Thanks Ken for another great video. And I’ll check out your other channel have a good Father’s Day.😘

[@angelakaizer5980]

The Newport mansions are also spectacular all decked out for the holiday season…I went a few years ago in January, not crowded. I think they leave decorations up into February (?)

[@LJB103]

Chateau-sur-Mer was redesigned by Hunt and is open. Before they were sold, you could also tour Belcourt Castle (Hunt) and the Astor's Beechwood (Hunt's renovations and ballroom) in Newport. However, Biltmore tops them all. The library alone is worth the tour.

[@cherylmusgrove7]

I’ve been to The Breakers twice- I adore the design.

[@LJB103]

@@cfvh Actually it reopened. there was a period after the Tinneys sold it, that it was closed. I haven't been to Newport for years as so little has changed that I've pretty much seen everything so often I could give the tours. Thanks for the info.

[@LJB103]

@@cfvh Is it still set up as a home?

[@StamperWendy]

My brother lives in Sandwich! It's the town next to mine... Thanks, Ken!

[@lisab2543]

Biltmore is my Disney. Absolutely stunning inside and out. 💜

[@christopherstephenjenksbsg4944]

Excellent overview of Richard Morris Hunt's work. A minor correction: The main entrance and Great Hall of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC is also a Richard Morris Hunt building. It was erected after his death but to his design, under the supervision of his son, Richard Howland Hunt.

[@ThisHouse]

Thanks for the information. Cheers!

[@dojocho1894]

There is a commemorative monument to Richard Morris Hunt by Central Park NY most people walk by and have no idea who he is......One of the greatest architects' in American History..I believe the greatest.

[@marylove909]

The Biltmore Estate is just amazingly beautiful, and a marvel of design. I would love to see The Breakers!

[@grandmakellymcdonald]

Always cool! 💕👵🌺

[@04straw]

I really like your videos. The work you put into them is obvious. 👍

[@Donald_Shaw]

Another wonderful video of stately houses and mansions.

[@NB-Philly]

Amazing video! I have visited the Biltmore Estate a few times and am amazed by it’s magnificence!

[@christopherkraft1327]

What a fascinating man he was!!! Great detailed video!!! Thanks again for sharing!!! 👍👍

[@mikenixon2401]

Great history lesson, Ken. Thank you.

[@lila6117]

Ohhh Italy would love to go some day, Mr. Richard Morris Hunt “interesting man” thank you Ken.

[@robertmoore2049]

It would no doubt break his heart if he lived long enough to see these beautiful homes he worked so hard and diligently on be torn down and see the monstrosities that would take their place…

[@Dina52328]

@Robert Moore, I agree it’s a good thing he passed away to spare him the disappointment of having to see his magnificent mansions, jewels of architecture, destroyed by the wrecking ball. Sigh 😌 it breaks my heart too.

[@robertmoore2049]

@@Dina52328 yes, the homes were works of art …

[@portodemos3622]

It is astounding how many major commissions Hunt completed. His portfolio is impressive...

[@majorneptunejr]

Especially because of the massive scale of these buildings and all the intricate details. I don't see how he did it .

[@geoffreyselvage1673]

Great work as usual Ken.

[@chuckandmax7313]

Such a wonderfully broad spectrum of works, Hunt really made a mark on American Architecture and lead a good life, how exciting it must have been to design the country’s largest residential home. Unlike his contemporary Stanford White, Hunt left a legacy of propriety, while White was a scandalous man murdered by a jealous millionaire. I love the stories you put together as architecture and history are my passions. I love every design style from Beaux-Arts to Bauhaus, Renaissance to ranch house, classical to contemporary and everything in between. All my life I spent countless hours searching for and studying interior design and floor plans of great mansions to cozy cottages, I love to watch your videos and take screen shots of the floor plans and the walk through of the homes you explore, then drift off into my dream world spending hours drawing the floor plans and trying to recreate the plans. The Magic chef mansion was like hitting a gold mine for me as there is an extensive amount of photographs detailing the original build and the restoration with complete blue prints of every floor from basement to attic. It was while drawing the designs for the basement I noticed that the bowling alley in the basement was not part of the original plans neither was the window at the far end of the lanes, which really puzzled me as the window was below ground level and appeared to be right under the enormous curved stone courtyard in the front of the house, after much research I finally found a picture of the area in the lawn where the window recessed beneath the gardens. I have thoroughly enjoyed every video you have done and congratulate you on your creativity to continue story telling through archival records as well as your on site walk through, you truly amaze me. I hope you have recovered from your injury, I noticed you walking with a cane and not going up stairs for a period. Your devoted fans ChuckandMax

[@ThisHouse]

Thanks! Like you, I’ve always been fascinated with architecture of all sizes. I appreciate good architecture, whether it comes in the form of MCM or Log Cabins, Second Empire or Organic. You are correct about the early addition of both the window and bowling alley in the Magic Chef Mansion. I continue to be on the path to recovery, but with some clever editing and more time on site filming, we can make in person tours more comfortable. Thank you for your continuing support! -Ken

[@LJB103]

If you ever get to Lincoln, MA there are 2 Historic New England properties that cover a wide spectrum of styles: the Codman House is federal and redecorated by Ogden Codman; and Walter Gropius's own house in the Bauhaus style.

[@patricialevenson2912]

Great video. RMH also designed other notable properties in NYC, Long Island and beyond. RMH, Stanford White (of McKim, Mead & White) and Horace Trumbauer truly were the most sought after architects of the Gilded Age.

[@andrewbrendan1579]

Wonderful presentation, Ken! I appreciate learning about the people who designed and built the remarkable houses you feature. I hope you'll come visit we Hoosiers here in Indiana. Down along the Ohio River and across from Kentucky we have the Lanier House in Madison, Indiana. It's a restored mansion overlooking the river and to the side of the central hall is a curving staircase set in a space that could be used as a missile silo! It's a LONG way from top to bottom. Madison went through a long period of having much of its downtown closed up because of economic conditions related to the steepness of the ground on which the railroad tracks were located and now parts of the town are a museum. Along with the Lanier house there is the Shrewsbury house and other places to visit that had become unintentional time capsules.

[@_Julie_Bee]

The Gilded age 😍 thank you for a great video again!

[@1953childstar]

I am very proud to say that my Great-Grandfathers brother, "Solon Spencer Beman" was brought from his New York offices to Chicago by George Pullman. Solon Beman designed Pullman, Illinois and several significant buildings and residences. He developed a friendship with Mary Baker Eddy and designed several churches and homes for her.

[@karajohnson5329]

This was absolute wonderful

[@brandongunn8796]

Great work

[@kellingtonlink956]

Thanks for the video. Always interesting. Cheers!

[@aimeefriedman822]

I've been to several of his mansions, all spectacular. How NYC could have gotten rid of so many homes and sites, will always amaze me and make me furious, all the same.

[@LJB103]

Excellent video. One of my usual complaints about the destruction of these great buildings is that they were almost always replaced by buildings that could be described as banal at best. When the beautiful Lenox Library was torn down (Hunt's memorial is across 5th Avenue from the site), it was at least replaced by the great Carriere and Hastings Henry C. Frick mansion. Reportedly, Frick offered the library for free to anyone who would disassemble it and move it, but he had no takers.

[@bernardaguiar]

Really enjoying your channel.

[@yung829]

binging your channel, very cool

[@SouthCountyDreaming]

Honorable mention to Horace Traumbauer as well!

[@tudorjason]

What an impressive and influential career! His works are just as well-known as the Mona Lisa and the Sistine Chapel ceiling. But Hunt's name isn't anywhere near as famous as Michelangelo or Da Vinci, which is sad. Nonetheless, the US has great works of art largely due to Hunt. And for that, we should be forever grateful!

[@kimberlysusie701]

Here's another tidbit...William Morris Hunt was designing The Biltmore and The 1892 Chicago World's Fair Expo buildings at the same time. Many believe this is what contributed to his death shortly thereafter.

[@mitchellbarnow1709]

Hi Ken, I cannot find your channel, “That Happened”. Please help me.

[@ThisHouse]

We ended up pulling the plug on that project.

[@mitchellbarnow1709]

@@ThisHouse I know that you will come up another amazing idea 💡!

[@huntlife]

Wow. I love architecture but knew nada of Mr. Hunt. Which is my name. And my husband was a construction superintendent- as his dad. Hmm

[@lorrainediferdinandogordon5519]

Unfortunately nothing last forever on this earth... Sad.. In a few years things are obsolete and no one cares.. Maybe the upkeep of many of these buildings was just too diffucult and they couldn't transition to electricity etc. ???

[@SRW_]

Do we put suggestions in the comments? Can you do a video on the brutalist style? Soviet brutalism is beautiful

[@ThisHouse]

We are always open to suggestions, thanks for the recommendation, cheers!

[@SRW_]

@@ThisHouse Thanks! I love your videos. Your voice is very calming

[@josephstashkevetch2104]

I'm sorry...it's a muddled narrative. What is the Louvre project? Define the "Ecole des Beaux Arts style". How did it influence American architecture? How did Hunt's style shift over time? Questions.

[@SUPERDRAGONDELUXXX]

I think it's a made up narrative and he had nothing to do with the Vanderbilt projects. I agree with you, someting doesn't add up. only 4 years abroad supervising some project and he came back with the knowledge on how to flawlessly design only the Vanderbilt houses as "Ecole des Beaux" and nothing else...very strange.

[@clairwaucaush7225]

Only ONE of his buildings survive in Manhatten!!

[@gdhse3]

Love your channel.. please slow down rate of speech

[@jamesslick4790]

"Architecture INSTEAD of art." I always known architecture as an art. 🤔

[@ralphgismondi9419]

Biltmore was commissioned by George W. Vanderbilt

[@bscottb8]

Other than the Metropolitan Museum, Hunt's best work was for the Vanderbilts. Lesser designs were ponderous and eclectic, characteristics of the age.

[@ArasPundys]

Biltmore was designed for George Washington Vanderbilt not William.

[@dpb8780]

The Biltmore is nothing but a bad copy of classic French castles!

[@brianc9642]

Eehhh, I still wouldn’t mind it.

[@dpb8780]

@@brianc9642 Yeah see that is a pride thing as a designer and architect that has put a lot of work and creativity into my work there is nothing more hurtful than seeing a cheap knock even if it is just my bottle of Hellman's mayonnaise design!

[@anthonypopola5773]

And Frank Lloyd Wright designed nothing but modernist garbage